Leeds Roller Derby

Your story

An inspirational roller derby community for the City of Leeds through a supportive, tenacious and spirited female flat track roller derby club.

Group introduction

At the end of 2016, the two women’s flat track roller derby teams in Leeds (Leeds Roller Dolls and Hot Wheel Roller Derby) combined forces, overcoming local rivalries to create one larger more sustainable club.

Leeds Roller Derby is an inclusive club run by a core of its 75 members, which include skaters, officials and non skating volunteers. The club consists of a junior league (girls aged 8-17), recreational league and a competitive league, the A team of which are currently competing in the first division of the British Championships and is one of the Top 200 teams in the world.

The club is affiliated with WFTDA (Womens Flat Track Derby Association) and is proud to support and uphold their Gender Policy, committing to inclusive practices in relation to all transgender women, intersex women and gender expansive participants.

The club overall meets 3-4 times a week and regularly provides skating kit and coaching to women who want to try out the sport, no experience necessary. Once a month we also open our doors to non-member skaters.

We have strived to create a club where each member lives and breathes the constitutional values to maintain a friendly, fun, welcoming and supportive environment for everyone. There is a place and role for anyone who wishes to join this vibrant community and we are excited for our future as Leeds Roller Derby.

Roller derby for those who are not familiar is a contact sport played by two teams of five members skating in the same direction (counter-clockwise) around a flat elliptical track. Game play consists of a series of short match ups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The game is fast paced, involving individual skill but more importantly teamwork and is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.

October 2017 will mark the 10th anniversary of roller derby in Leeds and the newly created Leeds Roller Derby team will be celebrating with the launch of its rebrand.

How would this funding have an impact on your community?

We have dedicated enthusiastic club members giving up their free time around full time jobs to shape the future of the club and make it a success.

As we move into 2018 the club has ambitious plans to achieve target UK and World rankings; to grow the club skater membership; to bring in volunteers by establishing local outreach programmes and partner with a local organisation or charity which promotes inclusivity / diversity.

This funding will greatly support the promotion of the club and the fantastic opportunities it can provide to the local & roller derby communities and allow us to maintain new recruit skating kits which guarantee future accessibility to this great sport!

"“..it doesn’t matter what shape or size you are, there’s a place for everyone, and for a woman in sport that is so incredibly comforting. But most importantly for me, it gave me a chance to be someone other than ‘Muuuuuummy’.” SUPER NOODLE - SKATER

“It makes me feel strong. It’s a full contact sport so you get hit and fall a lot in roller derby, and that is possibly my favourite thing. It reminds me over and over again that I can fall and get back up again. I’m constantly surprising myself with what I’m capable of, and that’s a real confidence builder.” LEANIMAL - SKATER

“It’s fantastic to be part of an amazing community which is incredibly accepting of gender, sexuality, disability and people from all walks of life.” JENGA - SKATER"